


Guardian Angel

by EchoSiriusRumme



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers as family, College AU, Fluff, Happy Ending, Howard and Maria Stark Live, Hurt/Comfort, Hydra (Marvel), M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, POV Alternating, Protective Team, Team as Family, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, outsider pov, young Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:20:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22079092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EchoSiriusRumme/pseuds/EchoSiriusRumme
Summary: The Asset is sent undercover as a MIT student to kill Tony for HYDRA, but after a week without a peep from his target, the Asset needs to switch gears.  What starts as snacks to keep Tony from perishing before the mission can be completed, slowly turns into something more.
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Tony Stark, Bruce Banner/Thor (background), Clint Barton & Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov (background), James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Thor
Comments: 10
Kudos: 212
Collections: 2019 WinterIron_Holiday_Exchange





	Guardian Angel

**Author's Note:**

  * For [orbingarrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orbingarrow/gifts).



> Hello again! This fic is for orbingarrow, and I hope you enjoy this little bit of wholesome fluff! They asked for Bucky getting over his programming because Tony is such a disaster, and I think I've delivered. ^-^

The Asset came to a stop in front of the Engineering department building, staring into the glass doors as if his latest target would miraculously appear in front of him. An Anthony Edward Stark, 21 year old son of Howard and Maria Stark, was assigned to him for this mission and the Asset was to terminate by the end of the year. That gave him four months to complete the mission, and the Asset had considered that to be more than enough time.

He was wrong.

It had already been a week, and the Asset had only gotten one glimpse of the target when the young man had disappeared behind those same glass doors. From his reconnaissance of the building, he hadn’t seen any rooms that provided sustenance, only a few scattered coffee machines among the labs. Unless the man had someone bring him food - which was unlikely, as only one of Stark’s acquaintances had gone in and out of the building in the last couple days - his target had not eaten much in a week.

Not to mention the lack of showering units, as the lavatories within the building were only for the usual deeds. It all made for an unhealthy living situation, and some forgotten instinct nagged at the back of the Asset’s mind. _“If you won’t take care of yourself, I will, punk.”_

The Asset shook his head at the - thought? Memory? It had been happening more and more recently, something about this city evoking feelings that he hadn’t acknowledged for the past few years. All that he knew was his current directive, ignoring everything else or face punishment from his handlers. Even the lack of progress in this mission would frustrate them, and the Asset shivered involuntarily at how they may react if he didn’t bring them good news soon.

Then again....he was supposed to gather information from his target first, and if Stark perished from hunger or sickness beforehand then his handlers would be even more upset. Mind made up, the Asset turned down the road towards the college’s hub and consequently, its many fast food restaurants.

*** * * * * * ***

“He’s back,” Bruce whispered to his friend and engineering lab partner. A distracted hum was his only response. With a resigned sigh, he added, “Tony, it’s Tall, Dark, and Handsome.” At that the young man’s head whipped around, his scruffy brown hair flopping around from the momentum and Bruce had to stifle a groan at the heart eyed expression on Tony’s face.

“You’re hopeless, why don’t you go talk to him? Not that I’d recommend it, since he’s being a creep, but I guess he _is_ good looking,” Bruce said, glancing back at the man to see him still staring at Tony.

His grey-blue eyes were so piercing and intense, especially when framed by long, dark hair. A frown marred his handsome features, obviously deep in thought. Bruce watched as he tracked Tony’s movements, frown deepening when Tony rubbed at his stomach subconsciously after a particularly loud rumble. Bruce bit back the _‘have you eaten today?’_ because he was sure the answer would be no - as usual.

“Aw, he’s gone again.” Bruce blinked back to awareness to see Tony pouting sadly at the now blank lab door. “And I was just about to go talk to him!”

Bruce chuckled, not even sorry when Tony turned betrayed eyes at him. “Sure, Tony. Whatever you say.”

“I was! And he didn’t even leave food this time. Do you think I missed my chance?” Tony asked, sadly fiddling with his tablet.

“Even if you did, there’ll be other guys. Hopefully less creepy than this one - who hasn’t said anything to you yet either!” Bruce exclaimed, realization hitting him suddenly.

“But Brucey-bear, he left little notes with the food! That counts for something, doesn’t it?”

Bruce groaned, remembering how happy Tony was when he found not only a cheeseburger and fries waiting for him five days ago, but a quickly scribbled note that read, _“You need to eat!”_ with it. At first, Bruce had thought it was one of their friends that was trying to look out for the youngest member of their motley crew. But after asking around, it had remained a mystery.

Until a couple days after, when Tony had once again been locked away in the labs with no food or beverage other than coffee. Thankfully Bruce had been with Tony at that point too, or else he and his friends would have thought Tony dreamed up this mystery man. He had seemingly appeared in the doorway, making eye contact with Tony while placing a paper bag on the ground before disappearing just as quickly as he had appeared.

Tony had squealed at the meal left for him that time, which included a sandwich filled to the brim with meat, cheese, tomatoes and lettuce, an apple, and a jelly-stuffed donut. He had also been intrigued by the man, and hadn’t stopped talking about him since. Similar meals and notes had been placed outside the lab door each day, but the mysterious man had never stayed long enough for Tony to gather the courage to speak to him.

“Well helloooo, handsome! Finally decide to join us?” Tony suddenly said, glee in every syllable. Bruce blinked back to attention to see the man striding into the lab as if he belonged there. There wasn’t much response to Tony’s remark, only the slightest twitch of his lips. He made it to Tony’s side, placing another bag and a cup in front of him, this time from Starbucks.

Nodding towards the food, the man said, “Eat.”

Tony had already taken a sip of the coffee, humming happily from his favorite drink, and was peeking inside the bag. At the man’s comment though, Bruce saw Tony pause before leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms with a grin. “And what do I get in return?”

“A good meal and continued health,” came the dry response, and Bruce had to bite his lip to keep from sniggering as Tony rolled his eyes.

“How about a name? Am I allowed to know who my new guardian angel is?”

Then something strange happened. So quickly that Bruce wasn’t quite sure what to make of it, but...the man seemed to freeze for a few seconds, thrown off by something in that question. Another moment of thought, and then he said gruffly, “James.”

_James_ was clearly uneasy now, and Bruce watched as he wavered in place for a second. Tony seemed to notice too, a furrow appearing between his brows as he looked up at James in concern. “You alright?” When James just nodded, not making eye contact, Tony continued, “If I’m coming on too strong or something, you can just tell me to stop, all right?”

But James just shook his head. “It’s not you, it’s fine. I-I need to go. See you later,” he stammered out, leaving the lab as if he was being chased.

When Tony shot a worried look at Bruce, he could only shrug. “Maybe he’s just tired? He looks like he’s a year or so older than me, who knows how big his workload is.” Then he grinned, adding, “But hey, at least you’ve talked to him! Look at you casanova!”

A quickly muttered “shut up” was his only response, the younger man turning his back quickly in an attempt to hide his blush. Bruce chuckled, turning back to his own lab reports to keep working.

*** * * * * * ***

“This huge ray of sunshine is Thor, and this is my darling snowflake James.” Thor shot a smile at his friend for the compliment, turning towards the new man to shake his hand.

“Call me Bucky. Tony’s told me a lot about you and his friends,” Bucky said, smiling warmly over at the smaller brunet. Looking back at Thor, he laughed, “I’m glad that he’s finally allowing me to meet you guys. He’s such a worrywart.”

Thor smiled easily, hiding his true feelings about that statement. He recalled Tony telling them that _Bucky_ had been the one not ready to meet anyone yet, so he was immediately on edge. People not wanting to meet their partner’s friends could be due to nerves...but there was also the malicious side to things.

Now Thor enjoyed expressing himself as carefree and nonchalant, only using his stature and presence to intimidate when completely necessary. In his youth, his opinion had been the complete opposite, and Thor disliked thinking about his arrogant past self. Now he only ‘used his powers for good’, as Tony had put it late one night when neither of them could sleep.

Speaking of, Thor was more than ready to ‘use his powers’ in order to defend his dear friend. After hearing from his boyfriend about a new student, younger than them but far smarter than anyone else Bruce had met, Thor had been excited to finally meet the man. Tony certainly was an enigma, filling the cafe where they met immediately with his personality and oozing charisma. But the moment he was alone with Bruce and Thor at their place?

His true colors showed a quieter, slightly shy young man that was obviously unused to such warm, _sincere_ attention. Between he and Bruce however, they were quickly able to bring him out of his shell and soon they had a new friend they both held close to their heart. And Thor would do anything he needed to protect Tony’s heart.

Thor managed to keep up a decent conversation as they walked to Tony’s favorite pizzeria for lunch. He kept an eye on Bucky the entire time, watching his interactions with Tony, and of course gauging Tony’s reactions to Bucky as well. What Thor found could not have made him happier.

The way Bucky looked at Tony created such a warmth in Thor’s chest, as he could clearly see that Bucky cared for his friend. He gazed upon Tony’s face as if he was attempting to memorize each feature, and listened intently to Tony’s every word. Bucky was also of similar stature to Thor and formidable, but his body language around Tony ensured that the smaller man wouldn’t feel intimidated. Each touch he gave Tony, whether it be an arm around his waist or helping him to sit, was gentle and mindful of his strength.

Thor tuned back into the conversation when Tony stood up. “I’ll get us some more beer. Be right back,” he said, smiling and placing a sweet kiss on Bucky’s lips. Thor smiled at how Tony practically skipped towards the bar, happy as he was.

“I’ll take good care of him. And if I ever hurt him in any way, _please_ punch me because I’ll deserve it,” Bucky said, and Thor respected him even more for maintaining eye contact with him.

Nodding, Thor agreed, “Aye, Tony’s heart is fragile from past experiences, and I wouldn’t be the only one you’d have to worry about avenging him if something happened.”

Bucky chuckled nervously. “Yeah, I’ve already met Clint and Natasha, and from what Tony tells me about Bruce, there’s more to him than meets the eye. I definitely don’t want to get on anyone’s bad side, but I have no intention to hurt Tony anyways, I promise.”

“Then I trust your word,” Thor said, clapping Bucky on the shoulder just as Tony approached the table.

He placed the pitcher of beer on the table, looking between the two of them. “Getting along?”

Thor could see his slight nerves underneath his smile, but apparently Bucky did too. He pulled Tony down to sit beside him, placing a kiss on his cheek and saying, “Yeah doll, we’re doing good.” Tony hid his pleased smile in Bucky’s chest, and Thor winked at Bucky when he looked over.

*** * * * * * ***

Natasha narrowed her eyes, attention completely caught by what was happening across the street. Clint paused in what he was saying, noticing immediately that she had been sidetracked. He turned to see what it was, eyes tracking every detail quickly in the way that gave him the nickname Hawkeye among his friends.

He noticed Tony’s boyfriend Bucky standing in front of a bookstore, eyes closed and clearly crying as he hugged an equally tall blond man. His eyes widened when the blond placed a kiss on Bucky’s temple, holding him tight for a few seconds more. When they separated, Natasha gasped and Clint saw what she did a second later.

Tony. Standing right behind the pair with his hands over his mouth, brown eyes brimming with tears. Clint made to stand up, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked back as Natasha said, "Something's not right. Bucky doesn't seem like the type to just dump Tony...right?"

"I don't think so, they've been so lovey-dovey since the moment we met them. I can't imagine what could tear them apart like that."

Natasha hummed thoughtfully, then inhaled sharply. "They were arguing the other night, didn’t you hear Tony? And he’s seemed pretty distressed lately, not really letting Bucky out of his sight,” Natasha said, noting when her boyfriend recalled the yells coming from down the hall.

Clint nodded, then added, “Yeah, and it was only Tony yelling, obviously about something Bucky did. I couldn’t really catch everything, but Tony called Bucky reckless _many_ times and then there was a lot of crying. Do you think...they’re OK?”

Natasha's eyes flicked behind Clint again then back at him. “We know Bucky’s been in the military, and he did mention needing to do something last week. It's _probably_ related to this whole scenario." She glanced back across the street, then jerked her head towards them. "We can keep our eyes open, but I think they'll be OK."

Clint turned back around to see Bucky engage Tony in a long kiss, one arm firmly around his waist while the other was tangled in Tony's hair. Tony was still clearly affected by whatever was happening, blinking rapidly when he and Bucky broke apart.

Then Clint watched as Tony nuzzled Bucky's hand when he brushed the tears away, and could only nod when Natasha repeated, "They'll be OK."

*** * * * * * ***

“I know this may be _super_ hard to believe, but we wanted to tell you guys the truth for putting up with us this past semester,” Tony said, smiling at Bucky when the man squeezed his hand. Taking a deep breath, Tony glanced over at their friends’ faces, noting the concern and attentiveness they were giving him. “Remember learning about HYDRA in high school?”

At the, if hesitant, nods in response, Tony continued quickly, saying, “Well, Bucky had been captured by them three years ago overseas and basically brainwashed to do their bidding. I was able to find and reunite him with his childhood friend, who helped fill in some blanks that he was missing from before."

Tony chuckled softly, saying, "Which they both almost made me regret when they decided to _go after_ Bucky's handlers and nearly got themselves killed." At the gasps that followed, Tony waved their concerns away. "Thankfully I had enough proof to show my parents that HYDRA is still very much around, and my dad is now working with an agency called SHIELD to take them down."

"Anyways, what I'm leading up to here," Tony inhaled and exhaled a deep breath, fingers white where he was holding Bucky's hand. "Bucky's _last_ mission that brought him here...was to kill me.”

“I FUCKING KNEW IT!” Clint’s shout made Tony practically jump a foot in the air, and he stared in bewilderment at his friend when he stood up and started pointing at the others. “I _told_ you that it seemed sketchy as hell! But none of you believed me!”

“Why would we believe you when you come up with ridiculous conspiracy theories all the time??” Bruce responded, the others muttering their agreement immediately.

“Tony could have _died_ , do you assholes not understand?” Ignoring the yells that echoed _that_ comment, Clint turned towards Tony with a manic look in his eye. Clint grabbed Tony’s shoulders, fairly shaking him as he said, “I’m so sorry, I should have tried harder to make them see!”

Tony turned towards Bucky, completely shocked with how things had turned so quickly, only to see him clearly stifling a grin. When they made eye contact, Bucky burst out laughing and Tony wasn’t far behind.

Their laughter seemed to calm the others back down, and they joined in with relieved - if slightly confused - laughs. Once they'd all quieted down again, Tony leaned further into Bucky's side. "Obviously it's not going to be smooth sailing, not only because of what Bucky went through...I know I have a few things to work through. But," Tony smiled at everyone around the room. "I know I'm not alone anymore."

Tony looked up at Bucky, readily accepting the kiss that he offered before grinning. "I've finally got a guardian angel."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading, I hope y'all enjoyed it! Comments are always appreciated, and my ask is always open (tumblr same as AO3). <3333


End file.
